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Hoosier Bat Underclass Player Highlights

“Either David Price or Clayton Kershaw. I feel like David Price is more my stature, he has a delivery like I have. I try not to copy him, but to be like him.”

Do you play other sports? How do those sports help you as a baseball player?

“I play basketball. It makes me more athletic and diverse just because I’m jumping around and being more agile as a basketball player.”

What are your goals as a baseball player?

“Try to make it to MLB. But go to college and develop and really be the best player I can be.”

If you’re not a MLB star someday, what do you want to do?

“Something in the business industry probably. Finance or something like that.”

What’s your mindset when you step on the mound?

“Always first pitch strike. Just really compete in the zone and make the hitters hit.”

What is the best trait a teammate can possess?

“Be as positive as you can. Picking everyone up and cheering everyone on.”

Eric Semmelhack, Hitters coach, on Lamb:“Tall, lengthy, downhill, over-the-top guy. Good breaking ball, which he needs to pitch off of more. Downhill plane, good fastball, works off his fastball and executes his breaking ball for strikeouts. I see him being a starting pitcher at Oklahoma, I see him gaining a little bit of strength and velo and ultimately working a little more with his offspeed and a changeup, but his breaking ball right now is at a high level and he just needs to keep on progressing.”

'20 Tre Hondras, White Sox ACE

Who do you model yourself after as a player?

“Since I’m a utility player, I try to model myself as a Francisco Lindor type of player in the infield and in the outfield I try to be more of a Adam Jones, Mike Trout kind of player. Lindor, the man is a role model to everybody. I went to one of the games when they played the White Sox and he literally signed everybody’s ball. Took a picture with all of the guys. The man just shows up to play every day.”

Do you play other sports? How do those sports help you as a baseball player?

“I used to play basketball. Basketball helped me with the conditioning part. Staying fit and the lateral movements help in the infield. All those little things that have to do with the feet.”

What are your goals as a baseball player?

“Get developed, and just get more polished as a player. My IQ is pretty good right now, and I just feel like if I develop a little bit more and get to that point, maybe I could get drafted out of high school or go to college and after three years get drafted in a high round. I’m just really trying to get there and be the best I can.”

What is your mindset as you step into the batter’s box?

“I know my hands are pretty fast, so I tell myself all the time that pitchers can’t beat me. They can’t beat me unless they’re throwing 95 mph. Just wait back on it and let everything go. If I do that, I usually hit something to the opposite field in the gap, or I might get a little early and pull it.”

If you’re not a MLB star someday, what do you want to do?

“I feel like I could be a good actor. That’s just a dream and a thought. I watch a lot of movies, especially Marvel movies, and I just see all those guys and it looks like they’re having fun doing it.”

What is the best trait a teammate can possess?

“I just want my teammates to have fun. This game isn’t supposed to be a job at this age. It isn’t supposed to be anything hard. It’s something that you can get away from school and all those things that stress you out. It’s supposed to be a stress-reliever.”

Kevin Coe, ACE coach, on Hondras:"Tre is an outstanding baseball prospect. Plays at a very high level, plays the game very hard regardless of the score. He’s going to be very good defensively, whether he’s playing center field or the middle infield. He runs out ground balls. You don’t know if he’s running for an inside-the-park home run or if he’s grounding out the shortstop. That’s just the way he plays. Non-stop, high energy. He’s a guy you want to have on your team.”

'20 Lucas Hansen, Longshots Baseball

Who do you model yourself after as a player?

“I would say my brother. Just the way he plays his heart out and the way he’s athletic on the field.”

Do you play other sports? How do those sports help you as a baseball player?

“I play soccer. It helps with lateral quickness behind the plate with my footwork. With baserunning, there’s a lot of running in soccer. I feel like there’s a lot of crossover.”

What are your goals as a player?

“Every game get better. Learn something new and help my team every game. Longterm, go play at the next level obviously and learn as much as I can.”

What’s your mindset when you dig into the batter’s box?

“Situations. On deck, you look at the situation and bring that to the plate. When I dig in, I’m trying to hit the inside of the ball and work away. If it’s inside, open the hips and take it the other way. Just whatever I need to do to get on.”

If you’re not a MLB star someday, what do you want to do?

“I’d like to be a lawyer. I just always liked defending people that are innocent.”

What is the best trait a teammate can possess?

“Energy. I feel like energy is really important because if you have negative energy you bring people down and if you have positive energy you pick people up.”

‘22 Brandon Rouse-Valadez, Elite Baseball Training

Who do you model yourself after as a player?

“Paul Konerko. That’s why I wear No. 14. He’s my favorite player, just because of his attitude and how hard he worked.”

Do you play other sports? How do those sports help you as a baseball player?

“I play basketball and golf. It helps me when I’m hitting and on the basepaths when I’m running, with my agility.”

What are your goals as a baseball player?

“I just want to keep playing this game for as long as I can. Keep working. If there’s a party or something, I’ll always pick baseball first.”

What is your mindset when you step on the mound?

“I’m thinking about where I’m going to locate my pitches and what I’m going to throw next.”

If you’re not a MLB star someday, what do you want to do?

“I’d play baseball as a hobby and do something in business.”

What is the best trait a teammate can possess?

“Positivity. If they strikeout or something, let them know that it’s alright and they’ll get them next time.”

Darrin Johnson, Elite Baseball Training coach, on Rouse-Valadez:"What I really like about Brandon is that he can locate his fastball, he’s got a sharp breaking ball, and he can throw a changeup just enough off of his fastball that it keeps guys off balance. He’s not afraid to work locations, in fact sometimes we have to dial him back and say, “Okay, don’t be too pretty here.” Because he really works his locations, working in and out and up and down on guys.”

“Throw strikes and throw hard. I know my pitches are good. I have a slider, curveball, changeup, and fastball. My fastball is my favorite.”

Mark Haley, South Bend coach, on Nieves: “He’s got great intestinal fortitude. He’s a battler, he’s a competitor. He’s got something to prove to people. When he comes over here, nobody knows him. He’s a great worker, he loves to win. He wants to be the guy. He comes over from a foreign country and knows nobody, just walks into the facility and introduces himself. So he’s in the facility working, the guys loved the way he worked, how hard he worked, and he earned everybody’s respect just by how hard he works.”

'20 Ethan Imlach, Cangelosi Sparks

Who do you model yourself after as a player?

“I model myself after my cousin. He passed away at 17 a couple years ago, and I just like to live up to him.”

Do you play other sports? How do those sports help you as a baseball player?

“I used to play football and basketball. Football made me tougher, like if I get hit by a pitch and stuff like that.”

“I take a deep breathe, settle myself down. And then I’m looking to hit the ball up the middle.”

If you’re not a MLB star someday, what do you want to do?

“I want to be a doctor like my dad.”

What is the best trait a teammate can possess?

“I like to pick up my teammates when they’re down. I like to have a good attitude towards everyone. If I’m down, I want them to pick me up, and if they’re down, I want to pick them up.”

'21 Jaden Deel, Morris Chiefs

Who do you model yourself after as a player?

“I try to handle myself like Willson Contreras. Just the way he carries himself, I want to be like him. I love his flair.”

Do you play other sports? How do those sports help you as a baseball player?

“I used to play football. The mental part of it helps with baseball. Getting stronger, it makes you better that way.”

What are your goals as a player?

“I want to go to a Division I school. I want to be the best I can and get to the highest level that I can. And then do my best at whatever level that is. If I stay working the way I am, I think I can get there.”

What is your mindset when you’re digging into the batter’s box?

“Just relax. Look center and opposite field. Stay on the ball and let it get there.”

If you’re not a MLB star someday, what do you want to do?

“Civil engineering. Since I was younger, I just liked building stuff and designing stuff.”

Chip Pettit, Morris coach, on Deel: “Jaden receives the ball really well. Very good with the glove. Very good with balls in the dirt. He’s a middle-of-the-order bat. I think like all catchers at this age, he’s working on his throwing, his overall body strength. He’s right in that 2.1-2.3 range with his pop time and we’re working to get it down under 2.0. I think he’s got a bright future.”

'21 Dylan Petrey, Pro Player Hurricanes

Who do you model yourself after as a player?

“I’m really just trying to be the best that I can be. My older brother taught me a lot when I was younger, so I’ve learned almost everything from him.”

Do you play other sports? How do those sports help you as a baseball player?

“I play basketball. It helps me to run a little bit better, I have better endurance. I stretch a lot more for basketball, so it helps with flexibility.”

What are your goals as a player?

“I want to play college ball. I think it’ll take a lot of practice and training, and being in the right place at the right time.”

What is your mindset when you’re digging into the batter’s box?

“It depends if there’s anyone on base. If there’s someone on third or second, I’m trying to go oppo.”

If you’re not a MLB star someday, what do you want to do?

“I want to coach baseball.”

What is the best trait a teammate can possess?

“Comedy. I’m always trying to bring them up even when they’re down. I always try to start momentum in a baseball game.”

Mick Matsie, Pro Player coach, on Petrey:“He’s our little bulldog on the mound. From his stature, he doesn’t look like he’s going to be an intimidating force, but he comes out and pounds the zone. He had a big summer for us, and I’m looking forward to him keeping on improving, and showing up in big games.”

'20 Brandon Micetich, 29ers Baseball

Who do you model yourself after as a player?

“I model myself after Manny Machado. I love how he plays in the field, I just love what he does.”

Do you play other sports? How do those sports help you as a baseball player?

“I used to play basketball. It got me in shape for the spring season.”

What are your goals as a player?

“MLB, of course. I want to play Division I, of course. All that type of stuff. We’ll see where my path takes me. Wherever baseball takes me, I’m just going to keep grinding every day and keep working all the time.”

What is your mindset when you’re digging into the batter’s box?

“Get after the first-pitch fastball. That’s what I’m thinking. Just looking for fastballs and driving them gap to gap.”

If you’re not a MLB star someday, what do you want to do?

“Probably go into business management. Accounting, or something like that.”

What is the best trait a teammate can possess?

“I like to bring that competitiveness with the team, get everybody fired up. I like getting everybody hyped up for the game.”

Jorge Acosta, 29ers coach, on Micetich: “Brandon is probably one of the better left-handed bats in the area in this class. Very athletic, very quick to the plate. He’s a very good, gritty player. He’s more of a singles, gap to gap hitter that projects a little bit. Really solid player, front of the lineup kind of kid. I think right now he has some good Division I interest, he’s got some schools that have been on him. I think depending on what level, it all depends on what happens here as far as how he much he grows in the next five or six months in terms of strength and speed. But he’s definitely a Division I bat.”